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My journey in expanding my skills
Ever since high school I had an interest in IT, to pursue what I thought I loved, I enrolled at a local college to study IT. While there I realised my real interest and passion was for coding. After a rough first year I dropped out because I was failing – I felt like my dreams of becoming a coder were over because I couldn’t afford to study further. That’s when my friend told me about the Salesian Life Choices’ Academy. It was a second chance and an opportunity to pursue my passion for coding.
Since starting it has been a life-changing experience – not only a place where I learned hard skills like Html, Java and coding but where I have made a difference in my self-development and growth. When we did the life skills element of the course I questioned what it had to do with me being a great website developer.
A while ago, I got my answer, when I pitched my services as a website creator and developer to a local business in Khayelitsha. I went to a store to purchase some gas when I saw the owner, normally I would shy away from the interaction, but that day I felt confident when I realised that there is an opportunity to find out if his company had a website. Also see
I remember approaching him and thinking about the life skills coaching about confidence, and communication. I told him that I’m studying coding and that I can create a website for him. He was open to it, so we had a meeting where he gave me a brief, and I was hired – securing my first client! Today the website is live and I’m pursuing other opportunities to build websites for businesses in my community. I feel it is important that I take the skills I am learning back to my area. My main goal is to start my own company, where I get together with coders from Khayelitsha – the aim is to be role-models in our community.
My journey in expanding my skills has been a challenging yet rewarding one. From my early interest in IT to dropping out of college and finding a second chance at the Salesian Life Choices’ Academy, I have come a long way. It has been a life-changing experience, where I have not only learned hard skills like HTML, Java, and coding but also developed essential soft skills that have contributed to my growth and development as an individual.
Initially, I questioned the relevance of the life skills element of the course to my career as a website developer. However, my perception changed when I landed my first client in Khayelitsha. When I approached the owner of a local business and pitched my services, I realized that the life skills coaching on confidence and communication had prepared me for that moment. The business owner was impressed with my skills and hired me to create a website for him. It was a moment of immense pride and satisfaction for me.
Today, the website is live, and I am pursuing other opportunities to build websites for businesses in my community. I believe it is essential to take the skills I am learning back to my area and contribute to its development. My ultimate goal is to start my own company, where I can work with coders from Khayelitsha and become role models in our community.
My journey has taught me that expanding your skills goes beyond acquiring technical expertise. It requires an individual to develop a growth mindset and take advantage of opportunities presented to them.